


Across the Ocean

by Vereesa



Series: Time-Crossed lovers [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Fluff, POV Multiple, long-distance friendship turns long-distance relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-20 10:45:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11919258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vereesa/pseuds/Vereesa
Summary: Lightning Farron stands in the middle of an airport in the quickly growing city of Bodhum waiting for what is literally the girl of her dreams. Oerba Dia Vanille believes in fate, in destiny, in realities beyond her own understanding. Will their union bring clarity?





	Across the Ocean

**Author's Note:**

> This work did not have a beta. This is a series of alternate universes, the basis is the idea that Lightning and Serah had inadvertently created new realities and worlds in their journeys through both XIII-2 and Lightning Returns. Some will follow a steady stream of Lightning trying to find her way to the reality she belongs in, while others will simply be alternate universe stories. This is based on the idea that Lightning became a part of a god, rather than a tool of a god. This fic in particular is an alternate reality that deviates from the Crystal Blues series. The two hold memories of a life they may have never lived.

_ Lightning, Bodhum International Airport, 10:34am.  _

 

Lightning glanced at her watch, unrelenting anxiety fluttered in her chest. It must have been the fifth time she’d checked in the thirty minutes she had been at the airport, and yet the hands kept turning at a snail’s pace. 

 

She had done everything she could to stave off the blossoming flutter in her stomach, flipped through pamphlets, fixed her hair twice, inspected every inch of her attire to be sure there wasn’t a single article off point. She recalled having her boots shined twice, even, she found it incomprehensible that it all was in the matter of thirty minutes. 

 

Now, however, Lightning had taken to fiddling with the buttons of her coat. She pondered if she should have bought a gift, perhaps her presence wouldn’t be satisfactory- in fact what if she didn’t like her? 

 

Indeed, Lightning was no stranger to passing compliments at the bar from haggard drunks- men and women alike- her sister told her time and time again that she looked as beautiful as ever, and not to worry. She seemed sure the girl would love her. 

 

But what if it wasn’t about beauty? 

 

Lightning’s fidgeting became more tempered, carding her fingers through her hair and puffing silent sighs. Her expression, her tone of voice, it was not abnormal for her to come off disinterested, aloof, rude even. While she carried herself like the cop she was, in conversation she was muted, careless at best. Any empathy she truly felt was sheltered under a flippant expression. When she was interested, she was accused of sounding bored, when she was happy she was accused of looking mad. 

 

No one had truly made her smile, well, no one save for her own sister and…  _ her _ . 

 

Now lightning was pacing. 

 

_ Vanille _ was everything  _ Lightning _ wasn’t. Vanille wore her heart on her sleeve, her expressions even in still photos told volumes of a story. 

 

She was a painter, a photographer, a passionate nature dweller. Her profile was riddled with chaotic pictures of rock climbing, hiking, bungee jumping, sometimes glimpses of the black hole of a work space she had for her art. That was another thing, Lightning flourished in order, she liked things precise, she liked having a schedule. Vanille lived where the tides took her. 

 

Lightning lived in the city, she knew how to shoot a gun and hold her alcohol, and sometimes she knew how to survive rush hour without honking. 

 

Now she worried, so much more, about things that wouldn’t have mattered to her if it had been anyone else. Lightning lived in a  _ city _ . The nearest park was a trash ridden tourist attraction. The smog in the air was thicker than a room full of twenty smokers, and twice as harmful. While Vanille was far from living in the country, her day to day life probably wasn’t met with congested streets and avoiding dog shit, among other things, on sidewalks. 

 

Another ten minutes had passed before Lightning decided she needed a drink if she was going to make it through the day, and since the bar was closed she settled for black coffee. Granted, as jittery as she was, she knew it would do more harm than good. 

 

In another thirty minutes, her guest should arrive at her destination, and Lightning finally settled in the waiting area. 

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_ Vanille, Somewhere in the sky, 10:55am _

  
  


Vanille snapped her book shut, she found herself becoming stir crazy in her compartment. It was a strange feature of the new airplanes, unlike the last airplane she had traveled in her youth, the newer models were designed with privacy in mind to keep passengers satisfied. While she enjoyed the uninterrupted silence she needed to read... she had to confess that she missed being around the public. She got her energy from the people around her, the grey faces of disinterested elders, the wails of babies jostled awake by turbulence, children asking their mothers how long it would be until they arrived, if they could have candy, then huffing when the answer was less than ideal. Businessmen impatiently shaking their legs, possibly frustrated that they hadn’t booked first class instead.  

 

She spared what felt like the thousandth glance at her watch. What used to be an eight hour flight now only took two hours, another perk of modern airplanes. Of course the trade off was the rising cost of tickets and practically sitting in solitary confinement. 

 

She didn’t have the stomach for flying, so she didn’t spare another thought to the sciences of aircrafts. 

 

She fluttered the pages of her book against her thumb, the flicking pages stirring the tell-tale smell of newly printed paper. She puffed warily, settling the book beside her and fidgeting with the hem of her shorts. Lightning had cautioned her to pack warm clothes, but if she had to be honest, she had nothing save for a thick flannel and two pairs of pants. Where she lived, winter was barely but a welcome breeze on the horizon. She spared a thought toward borrowing clothes from Lightning, her cheeks warmed at the idea. 

 

Vanille hadn’t really had anything close to a partner, let alone someone she truly connected with aside from her closest- albeit only- friend, Fang. She thought it fitting that she would find someone across the ocean who really liked her. Her home felt suffocating, everyone knew each other and everyone dated within friend groups. Vanille never liked that, she had always opted to avoid awkward encounters.

 

Her fear of flying aside, coming to such a big city to meet the second biggest person in her life felt liberating. 

 

Though she wasn’t really sure what they were. Were they friends? They lived too far to be lovers, rather she was sure calling each other hadn’t counted for dating. There had been moments where Lightning had slipped and called her her girlfriend when asked who she was talking to. Vanille wasn’t sure if it was on purpose, or if it was just her way of getting people to stop interrupting. 

 

Those moments were often followed by a harrowed look and an immediate apology. 

 

What if Lightning found she wasn’t attracted to her? Calling on video was nothing like meeting in person. 

 

Vanille worried her lips, her thoughts immediately cut off by the ding of the overhead intercom. 

 

“We’ll be arriving at our destination in several minutes, please fasten your seat belts and prepare for landing.”

 

Vanille breathed out a tense sigh and closed her eyes, fastening her belt. In several minutes, she’d set foot in the country of Cocoon, already so different from her home across the ocean. People from Gran Pulse stuck out like a sore thumb, if there was one thing Vanille hated, it was drawing attention to herself. 

 

She knew, with Lightning by her side, it would be the last thing on her mind. 

  
  


\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

_ Lightning, Three days earlier, late evening.  _

 

Lightning tapped at her keyboard nervously. Vanille had finally asked the question that had apparently been on both their minds. 

 

People from Gran Pulse weren’t exactly well received in Cocoon. Thankfully, travel wasn’t revoked under the necessity of business from Nautilus, the bustling center of tourism that raked in the funds necessary to keep Eden afloat. Lightning blamed it on the narrow-mindedness of the northern cities. She had spent two hours reassuring Vanille that Bodhum, as busy a city as it is, was the most open minded place in the country. The first place to legalize same-sex marriage, the first place to acknowledge all forms of gender, Lightning could go on with the list of things they’d achieved over the years but she knew it wouldn’t help ease Vanille’s nerves. 

 

She finally replied:   
  
**Lightning:** Besides, I’ll be with you. If anyone messes with you they’ll have to answer to me.    
**Vanille:** awh :)    
**Vanille:** too bad I can’t bring you to customs with me   
**Lightning:** I know someone who works that day, at any rate they’re not officials from the capital. Customs is run and employed locally.    
**Lightning:** That is to say, we aren’t perfect… but at least this isn’t the capital we’re talking about. 

 

If Lightning had to be honest, the officials of Eden  _ hated _ anything outside of its floating city, even the surrounding states that trumpeted their policies.

 

Lightning sat back, glancing out her window at the bright neon signs. The splattered rain made the reflected colors on her walls hazy and dreamlike, outside the signs were foggy. Bodhum was a beach town, it used to be smaller before it grew into the busy city it was now. Lightning had lived on the beachside with her sister before joining the police academy, now she was a beat cop in the heart of the city. While it didn’t snow, it rained often. She made a mental note to remind Vanille to bring warm clothes, though she knew she’d have to borrow Serah’s older clothes for the week in the end. Gran Pulse, from what she understood, was much too sunny and hot to own a single coat.

 

Her screen flashed again:

 

**Vanille:** anywhere you are is perfect to me.    
**Vanille:** oops! I hadn’t realized the time   
**Vanille:** guess time really does fly when you’re having fun..   
**Vanille:** same time tomorrow?   
**Lightning:** Always.

 

She smiled shyly to herself. Beside her monitor sat a wooden horse Vanille had whittled for her, a small yet detailed “chess” piece. She rolled her thumb along the  _ chanfron,  _ relishing the small details she was often surprised to find. Along the bottom of the base of the piece “ _ Odin _ ” was marked. It had been from a recurring dream Lightning had told her about months prior. Vanille had been so enthralled by it she couldn’t help but turn it into several small projects of her own, one of which now sat on Lightning’s desk. 

 

The rain outside thudded against her window and walls duly, lulling her to sleep on her desk. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

_ Lightning, Present day, 11:03am _

 

Lightning had, rather stupidly she believed, opted to buying a sheep plush from the gift shop. She was sure Vanille liked sheep, ok maybe she didn’t,  _ ‘you can return gift shop purchases, right? _ ’ Lightning worried her lip in thought. So caught up in her turmoil, the tall woman almost missed the head of orange hair bobbing toward her. 

 

She huffed quietly and strode across the room, greeting her with a small wave and reaching for her luggage, “that was a lot faster than I expected,” she had admitted. When the waiting room intercom announced the flight’s arrival Lightning had assumed she’d be waiting for another half hour. Not that she wasn’t thankful for the swift arrival, she’d have probably crawled out of her skin from the sheer anxiety of the situation. She gave the shorter girl a quick, thoughtful once over. As had been predicted, Vanille was dressed for summer vacation rather than a rainy city. Her flannel was tied at her midriff, her curly orange locks pinned in a messy bun, and a pair of shorts too short for a winter storm. Lightning eye’s snagged at her belly and stayed for a moment, perhaps a moment too long. She blinked shyly as Vanille dipped her head, peering up at the woman.

 

“Did you hear me? Is that for me?” Lightning’s stomach bristled warmly as her companion’s accent brushed her ears in the loud room. 

 

“A small gift,” Lightning finally admitted, not offering the plush another lengthy debate. She lifted the gift bag for the girl who eagerly grabbed it. She relaxed as the younger woman grinned broadly.

 

“He’s so cute,” she chuckled warmly, hugging the doll to her chest, “he very much looks like sheep back home, chubby and soft!” 

 

The older of the two grabbed a second suitcase, a small smile touching the corners of her mouth. “I knew you’d like it.” 

 

“Did you? You looked like you were having a battle over it when I first saw you.”

 

“...Maybe a little one..”

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_ Vanille 12:40pm _

 

Bodhum was a lot different from the images she had come across on the internet. Perhaps it was the rain, though Vanille had noted quite a few people didn't shy away from beach attire under the heavy, ice cold droplets. As Lightning had warned, Vanille immediately regretted not trying harder to find warm clothes. 

 

But that was why they were making their way to the beach, to visit Lightning’s sister, Serah. The older woman had told her that her sister was about the same size as her, recalling sheepishly that they both had the same fashion sense as well. The drive was silent, as the older of the two stared ahead Vanille could tell something was bothering her. She opted to stare out the window and take in her new home for the week. 

 

She was certain it wasn’t  _ her _ that was bothering Lightning. 

 

She pressed her temple to the cool window, the heat from the car tingled along her skin comfortably, she remembered Lightning fussing over how warm she should make the car, the look of worry on her face when they had taken shelter from the rain. She smiled to herself, thinking she wouldn’t mind being pampered a bit more by her companion. 

 

Outside the grey streets blurred dreamily, people in Bodhum dressed as if they were going to spend the day at clubs. Bright colors clashed with muddy buildings, even the neon lights that buzzed overhead seemed out of place in the center of the city. The rain had tapered off into big blotches, but the sky was dark enough to cascade the city in deep, lazy blues.  

 

No one seemed to mind, in fact the city was as lively as ever. 

 

“We’ll get something to eat on the way back,” Lightning finally hummed, her hand gripped tightly at the steering wheel.

 

Vanille leaned over brushing her fingers along the white knuckles, feeling rather than seeing the older of the two relax. 

 

The redhead finally decided to hazard asking the question on her mind, “is something wrong?”

 

Lightning’s jaw tensed slightly before she smiled politely, “no, well, I just don’t like visiting my sister these days.” She bit her lip, then continued, “don’t get me wrong. I love her. I hate her boyfriend of choice.” 

 

Vanille opened her mouth in a silent ‘ah’, thumbing the woman’s hand lightly. Lightning didn’t seem to mind the affection, much to Vanilles surprise. She always seemed the type to be distant. “Does he live there?”   
  
“Unfortunately,” Lightning scoffed, and that was it for the conversation. Vanille turned her head back to the streets and the car hummed along silently. 

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_ Lightning, Beachside town of Bodhum, 1:30pm _

 

She hadn’t been particularly fond of coming back. She had meant to, many times, to visit her sister and see how her career as a teacher had been treating her. Lightning didn’t have the stomach to show her face after her last fight with Snow, despite the contact Serah had kept after. 

 

She wasn’t upset over the fight, no, Snow deserved it. She was upset because she made a fool of herself in front of her friends, her home. She was drunk, and angry, and he had asked permission to propose to her sister. 

 

The car door clicked close behind her silently, as if she were scared of stirring the local residents into awareness of her arrival. Much to her relief, Snow’s bike was nowhere to be seen. 

 

Not that it mattered, though she’d prefer not to get into a bout when her company was with her. As if summoned by their arrival, Serah’s head poked out of the small home. Confused at first, then breaking into a wide grin. She stepped out of the doorway and waved before crossing her arms to keep what little warmth hadn’t been sucked away by the beach side breeze. “Come on, before you guys catch your deaths!”

 

Serah had been practically buzzing, she had all the telltale signs of having slept in, her disheveled shirt, rolled up sweatpants and messy hair. It hadn’t deterred her from making sure her guests were comfortably situated at the dining room table, hot coffee steaming before either of them. She had welcomed Vanille as if she were an old friend, much to Lightning’s relief Vanille hadn’t seemed bothered by it at all. In fact the two were practically chirping about their different cultures already. 

 

Vanille had pulled out her phone and thumbed through various photos she had taken during her last hike and Serah’s eyes sparkled with mirth. “No way! I would have been scared out of my mind jumping from that high.”

 

“My first time was quite scary,” Vanille chuckled warmly, “I’m not very good with heights or flying, but in Gran Pulse they always say you’re more likely to die Chocobo Racing than jumping from a mountain on a reinforced cord.” 

 

Serah’s eyes widened, “I’ve never ridden a chocobo! I’d love to but I’ve never had the chance. There’s a chocobo riding ranch about an hour off from the city….” 

 

Lightning huffed, “it's not that special…” 

 

The two girls glanced at her, her sister laughed, “Claire just says that because when she was a kid she fell off a chocobo into a dung pile,” the sentence was followed by a quiet, shocked ‘oh no’ from Vanille, “I was too young for lessons, but I’ll never forget the day. Dad was practically howling in laughter and mom had her head in her hands! She had to bathe at least five times and she was soooo disappointed. You see, before this city got so big the primary transport was Chocobos, we never had one though because of her phobia after that.”

 

“I don’t have a phobia,” Lightning countered, “I had to ride one in the academy.” 

 

“It took you a month to prepare for it.” Serah deadpanned, stifling her giggle with her coffee cup. 

 

The eldest of the three crossed her arms over her chest and puffed quietly, she would have preferred if Vanille hadn’t been exposed to that story. She couldn’t deny the redhead’s muffled giggling tickled her ears pleasantly, however. 

 

The afternoon had continued without a hitch from Snow, Lightning had meant to ask if anything happened but she kept it to herself. She would prefer not to know if the lumbering hulk lived there still or not. Vanille and Serah had traded phone numbers as they were leaving, promising to keep in touch after she went back to her country. 

 

Admittedly, Lightning felt guilty throwing Serah’s hand me downs into her arms but Vanille was nothing but pleased with the newfound warmth. 

 

“Your sister is quite fashionable,” Vanille stretched her arms and yawned. She had settled for the much plainer side of Serah’s wardrobe and was simply wearing one of Lightning’s grey college hoodies that had found their way into her closet. Lightning didn’t want to point that out, however, she found some part of her did enjoy seeing the girl in her clothes. She quieted that thought immediately, she wasn’t even sure if the girl in question felt the way she felt about her. 

 

If Lightning could, she would slap herself. They had met on a dating website, had spoken to each other for close to a year, and the girl had taken the time to come visit her. The older woman gave her a once over once again, Vanille was a charming woman, filled with love and adventure, she was beautiful, easy to talk to, funny, and nice. She probably had a lot of people talking to her. People much closer to her home.

 

“I know fashion out here can be a bit overwhelming,” Lightning shrugged, she would never show Vanille her high school photos.“You should see Nautilus,” she added sheepishly, fully aware she was staring at her again. She glanced away, “do you want to go out to eat?”

  
  


\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_ Vanille, 7pm _

  
  


They had settled for a hole in a wall pizza place. Previously, they had debated for an hour who had the best seafood. Lightning had relented, Vanille pointed out she lived in an actual fishing town, the older of the two huffed and conceded her defeat. She parked at a building she had announced was her apartment, and that Vanille would enjoy her trip more if she walked around the city rather than drove, especially during rush hour. 

 

Lightning mulled over an untouched slice of cheese pizza and her soft drink. Vanille took a moment to admire the way her lashes fluttered when she blinked down at her food, she noticed the deep bags under her eyes possibly from a combination of relentless work load and sleepless nights. They did talk to each other rather late in the night time for Lightning. She had a faded scratch along her cheek, Vanille figured it was from something she had done at work. Maybe she had a run in. She took a moment to marvel at her arms now that her coat was off, she swallowed dryly as her eyes scanned the soft curved muscles of her biceps. While she certainly wasn’t a bodybuilder, Vanille hazarded a guess she had the body of a swimmer. She worried her lips and trailed her eyes back to the woman’s face, appreciating the glint in the blue eyes that now looked back. 

 

She was sure Lightning hadn’t caught her staring, though Vanille still ducked her head sheepishly, she wasn’t very good at sneaking glances. 

 

The older woman stiffened slightly, opened her mouth as if to say something and then leaned back in her seat. Her brow knitted slightly, as if she were thinking of what to say before she finally settled, “what do you think of Bodhum so far?”

 

Vanille looked out the window next to their booth, “it is quite busy here, the later it gets it seems more and more people take to the streets.” Indeed, as they left Serah’s house the beach had become more populated, namely the pier. Now they were back in the heart of the city and food vendors had set up shop along loud streets, signs illuminated alleyways dimly in ghostly light. She wondered what it was like at midnight, and even later still. Was the city ever quiet? How did Lightning sleep during this?

 

She glanced back and Lightning glanced away quickly. Vanille’s cheeks warmed. 

 

As they left the restaurant she found it hard not to marvel at the various street stands as if she were a child discovering what the outside world was like after her bedtime. Vendors were selling Bodhum memorabilia, she saw ridiculous sea creature plushies and t-shirts, cute chocobo keychains, one vendor had giant chocobo dolls, another had poorly translated overpriced Pulsian sayings on charms, a large banner over the stall declared they were “good luck” blessings. Vanille peered over a woman’s shoulder, “that one says ‘chicken shit’” she pointed out, mostly to Lightning however the merchant glared at her. 

 

“It says ‘live a long life’,” he stated in a mock scholarly tone, “I should know, I brought it here from Gran Pulse itself.” 

 

Vanille was about to argue back, when Lightning gently tugged her along, fingers threaded in hers. 

 

“I’d prefer not to start a street brawl with the riff raff,” she said, apologetically. “Besides, I’d like to show you somewhere you’d probably like the most.” The two turned down a large alley way, not quite as busy as the main street but the mumble of customers and merchants working over their tables. As Vanille looked over the first booth, she couldn’t help but smile broadly. It was an artisan alley. There were bakers, blacksmiths, artists, jewelry makers, people who crafted Materia and at one point even a palm reader. At one booth, an older man was sculpting a vase, the next a man was building a chair for his latest customer, the very next was painting a caricature of a couple. The young woman could hardly believe so much could be happening in such a small place, she almost didn’t want it to end. 

 

When it did, however, she was sure the throaty chuckle that traveled from Lightning’s lips was due to the sheer look of pained disappointment that had crossed her face. The redhead sighs, “we definitely need to come back here before I leave so I can bring something home.” 

 

Lightning offered a small smile, she tilted her head down the street and Vanille looked up and spotted her car, “for now let’s go to your home away from home. I’m sure you’re still exhausted from your flight.” 

 

Warmth blossomed in the redheads chest at the comment.

 

When they finally entered the room, luggage and all Vanille stared in awe at the large open space. “You can afford this?”

 

“Uh, it helps that it is in a less than ideal place. The other side of the building is completely dark, my side is the only side facing all the neon.” Lightning smiled apologetically. “I’ll let you sleep in my room since it avoids the light the most.” Vanille glanced back at her.

 

“Where will you sleep?”

 

“Couch, of course.” Lightning came back from her room finally free of suitcases, she stated that fact as if it was a given. Vanille couldn’t lie that she felt at least slightly disappointed. “Sorry, I don’t mean to rush you to bed, we can watch tv for a bit if you’d like.” 

 

Vanille hummed, “I think I’d like to shower first. Can we keep the lights off?” When Lightning tilted her head slightly Vanille admittedly sheepishly, “I like how beautiful the neon makes you look..” With that, she retreated quickly to the bathroom to avoid the older woman’s reaction. 

 

Much to her joy she returned to a dark room, her fresh pajamas hung snugly to her body. She relished in being warm and clean after such a long day, the fatigue that hit her made her feel like she hadn’t showered in a month. Lightning sat at the windowsill of her large desk-side window, offered her a small nod and gestured for her to sit near her. 

 

Vanille admitted, she missed the seaside view Serah’s house had, she wondered why Lightning had moved so far into the city but felt best not to ask. Perhaps it was mainly because of the crowd her sister acquainted herself with. 

 

Vanille worried her lip slightly, there was something she had been dying to ask since the night had started but hadn’t had the courage to. It swelled in her chest, anxiety bubbled in her tummy. The pinks and greens and blues danced across the older woman’s expression, she seemed sad yet content all in the same. 

 

She swallowed as her eyes traced down along her throat and the dipping line of her shirt. Lightning had showered in her other bathroom while Vanille showered, droplets of water still remained from slightly damp hair, the girl almost wanted to offer blow drying it for her but she was sure Lightning would be fine nonetheless. 

 

“Lightning?” Vanille’s voice came out shakier than she had intended, she sat beside her as casually as she could. 

 

“Hm?” Lightning looked back at her again, brow knitted with worry, “whats wrong? Was the shower ok?”

 

“Yes,” Vanille gave a small laugh, charmed by the sudden worry in the older woman’s voice. She clearly wanted to be the best host she could be. “Its not that,” she rubbed her cheek and Lightning changed her position to face her completely. “Was tonight a date?”

 

“Yes.” The reply came out even, there was no hesitation, it wasn’t quick either. Her tone was warm, slight affection rolled off her tongue in a way Vanille was surprised to hear from the older woman. When Vanille didn’t respond, however, her shoulders stiffened, “unless you’d rather it wasn’t…” 

 

Vanille reacted, rather than replied, she leaned forward slightly and cut off the woman’s train of thought with a small peck on the lips. 

 

Much to the redhead’s relief, Lightning responded by cupping her cheek. Her small peck became something warm, gentle and full. She played this moment in her head many times on her way to Cocoon, the last thing she had expected was their first kiss to taste of cheese pizza and choco-pepper, not that she was complaining. Her heart hammered as if it stored a dozen stampeding Behemoths. 

 

She finally reluctantly pulled away, pleased by the small lean Lightning did in response as if hoping the younger woman would come back for another kiss. And she did, she couldn’t deny her that. She offered a smaller peck, and then another on the corner of her mouth nudging her nose affectionately against her cheek. This earned her a quiet, embarrassed huff from her partner. 

 

“Can I sleep with you?” Lightning muttered finally.    
  


Vanille could have embarrassed herself and jumped for joy, however she settled to silently nodding and grinning sheepishly. She brushed her thumb along Lightning’s knuckles and offered another small kiss on her cheek. 

 

She loved the way Lightning’s eyes danced as if all her wishes had come true. 


End file.
